The group, though lacking medical knowledge, generally understood what Dr. Zhao meant.
Removing the harpoon was simple, but stitching the wound was another matter entirely.
"Now that the writer's life is temporarily saved, our only goal is to get out of here as soon as possible and find a place equipped to treat his wounds properly," Dr. Zhao said, pulling everyone's focus back to reality.
If they couldn't leave this eerie room, their fate would inevitably mirror Han Yimo's.
"But how do we leave? Has the 'game' ended?" Lin Qin asked, her voice muffled as she covered her mouth and nose.
Qi Xia thought carefully for a moment and then shook his head.
The mask's message had been clear: someone called the "Man-Hound" wanted them alive and said they would "meet after the rain." Logic suggested that after the harpoon storm, the so-called "Man-Hound" would appear, possibly bringing the next game.
So why hadn't he shown up?
"Hey, trickster," Qiao Jiajin said as he walked over to Qi Xia, his expression serious. "You must have a way to survive this, right?"
"What does it matter to you?" Qi Xia replied coldly. "Whether I survive or not, what's that to you?"
"I'm not as clever as you, so I need someone to team up with," Qiao Jiajin said, seeming to propose himself. "You've got brains, I've got strength. Let's work together."
Qi Xia frowned slightly at the offer.
"Sorry, I'm a trickster. I don't plan on trusting anyone but myself."
Before Qiao Jiajin could respond, Officer Li's voice cut in with a question.
"What's this?"
Everyone turned to see Officer Li closely inspecting the harpoon in his hand.
"What's going on?" Dr. Zhao approached cautiously.
"There's writing," Officer Li said, handing the harpoon to him.
Dr. Zhao's expression changed when he looked at it. Indeed, on the tail end of the harpoon, which was about as thick as a finger, were tiny inscriptions:
"I am the 'Man-Sheep.' If you're reading this, it means you've survived."
"But how many of you made it through?"
"Is anyone injured?"
"I am truly worried for you."
"I can't bear to watch you all die."
"In a quarter of an hour, death will descend again."
"Avoid it and find a way to survive."
Dr. Zhao gritted his teeth and angrily threw the harpoon to the ground.
"Are they messing with us? This never ends!" he shouted, venting all the pent-up frustration.
"Calm down!" Officer Li said sternly. "If you lose control now, how do you expect to survive?"
"Survive…? We're already dead!" Dr. Zhao could no longer suppress his emotions. "We're dead, but we're still tormented by the fear of death. What does the 'host' want from us? Can't they just kill us or let us go?"
Everyone's expressions darkened. Indeed, what was the purpose behind this relentless cycle of threats?
Was it, as the goat-masked figure suggested, a selection process for a 'god'?
Did it mean that only one would ascend, while the rest were doomed?
"We've made it through two 'games' so far. Do you think it's because we're smart? No!" Dr. Zhao clenched his fists. "We were just lucky. But what about next time? Or the time after that? In this constantly changing room, how long can we really survive?"
Officer Li pursed his lips, stepped forward, and grabbed Dr. Zhao by the collar. "Listen, buddy! In a life-or-death situation like this, the last thing we need is to lose our morale! If you want to give up, fine—go die on your own! Don't drag everyone else down!"
"I…" Dr. Zhao's lips trembled. "But how do we get out? Do you have a plan?"
After a moment of silence, Officer Li replied, "I don't have a 'plan,' but I do know we have to survive. As long as we're alive, there's hope."
He released Dr. Zhao and moved to examine the harpoon again. Then he walked over to Han Yimo, inspecting the harpoon embedded in his shoulder and noting that both harpoons bore the same writing.
Their luck really had been extraordinary.
The last trial required not only evading deadly attacks but also retaining at least one harpoon to uncover the next clue.
"At least this time, we have clear instructions," Officer Li said after reading the text on the harpoon carefully. "Unlike before, this time the attack will come from above."
He pointed to the words, "death will descend again."
As soon as he spoke, the room began to change.
All the holes in the walls gradually disappeared, while countless openings on the ceiling began to shift and realign.
Only nine remained.
Arranged in three rows of three.
"It looks like the game is getting simpler," Officer Li said with a sigh, looking at the ceiling. "A small consolation in an otherwise dire situation."
"But why is it the 'Man-Sheep' again?" Lawyer Zhang asked, pointing to the dismembered corpse on the ground that had been pierced by the harpoons. "Wasn't the Man-Sheep already killed?"
Qi Xia pondered this question, also finding it strange.
The goat-headed figure they'd killed had indeed called himself the "Man-Sheep," yet his mask had read "I am the Man-Hound."
Sheep one moment, dog the next.
Was that another clue?
"There's no time to waste," Officer Li said to everyone. "It's 1:23 now. It won't be long before harpoons start coming down from those nine holes. Everyone, grab a piece of the table and stand against the walls."
Most of the tabletops had already been shattered, with only a few small pieces still usable.
Fortunately, the nine holes in the ceiling were clustered in the center, suggesting that the walls were safe.
Everyone silently picked up the broken table pieces and positioned themselves along the walls, away from the center holes.
Qi Xia, however, did not move. He slowly closed his eyes.
From every angle, the third game seemed suspicious.
The "host" had offered a solution far too directly.
To Qi Xia, it felt redundant.
Did they want them dead, or did they want them alive?
And why mention both the "Man-Sheep" and the "Man-Hound"?
If those weren't names, what did they represent?
"Hey, trickster, get over here!" Qiao Jiajin shouted. "You'll die standing under those holes!"
"Die…?" Qi Xia cast a cold glance at the holes above. "I can't die here. I have a reason to get out."
"What's going on…? Is the smartest one turning crazy now?" Qiao Jiajin muttered, confused.
Qi Xia tapped his temple with his forefinger.
"Wait... wait... just give me more time."
The group held their breath, watching Qi Xia standing alone in the center of the room. None could understand why he needed to ponder such an obvious game so deeply.